Thursday, April 20, 2017

Staff Picks

I love when I happen upon a series that is delightfully entertaining because of the premise. The main character, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, is a shell shocked World War I vet with a dead man as a side-kick. He solves crimes all while being tormented and offered advice by the voice in his head of the dead Corporal Hamish MacLeod. I also enjoy the time frame with its lack of technology and the quaint English countryside setting. Test of Wills is the first book in this series.

Another series I’ve recently started is the Andy Carpenter series. Think John Grisham legal novels with extra snark and a golden retriever. A fast read that leaves you wanting more. Open and Shutis the first book in this series.

This book is one I hope will become a series. Mycroft Holmes, older and smarter brother of Sherlock, has the starring role but Cyrus Douglas, a native of Trinidad, is an equally fascinating character. The biracial friendship between Mycroft and Cyrus gives the story a nice balance as it shifts location between London and Trinidad. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy finding out the backstory behind some of Sherlock’s quirks.

This nonfiction book relays the experiences of an Atlanta paramedic working out of Grady hospital. Hazzard brings a unique perspective to a job that is different every day and captures his interactions with patients; those he saves as well as those he doesn’t.